Passive exercise machine



1958 B. H. STAUFFER PASSIVE EXERCISE MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9,-1957 4 7" TOP/V 945 Nov. 18, 1958 B. H. STAUFFER 2,850,628

PASSIVE EXERCISE MACHINE Filed April 9, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 P195 I H! (W "I'll! ill! L A fi r "lull 22 Z 84 11a 1/7 55 5- 44 I 1/3 as )l 3E9 a" 45 1'05 0 0 E i I 82 I 1 l I! '54- 46 3e I \E x I I J I l 1 l '45, I 12 $4 5 52 I E 150 52 v, z i E 3:11: 95 7/ r: I

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9 A 770Z/VEVS Nov. 18, 1958 Filed April 9, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 552N420 A4 57401 7 52 arrow/5V5 Nov. 18, 1958 B. H. STAUFFER 2,860,628

PASSIVE EXERCISE MACHINE Filed April 9, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

I NVEN TOR. 553M480 A. 5340/ 7 5? prme/vsys States Pa fi POE-C6 PASSIVE EXERCISEMACHINE Bernard Hamilton StautferfFullerton; Calif. Application April9, 1957,'Serial No. 651,727 4 Claims. c1. 1128-43 This invention relates to a passive exercise machine and more particularly to such a machine embodying novel means for converting rotating motion-into rocking motion through a few degrees of are.

It is a feature ofthis invention that the reciprocated member is so mounted that it may be turned through 90 on a vertical axis so as to .convert the rockingmotion imparted thereto from longitudinal direction to transverse direction at any time, without shutting down or interrupting the rocking of the member.

his a further feature of this invention that novel linkage is utilized which permits a compound-motion inthe linkage in which thelinkage, while being reciprocated in a generally horizontalplane, is.permitted a 'limited component of vertical flexing'by reason of which said linkage is arranged to rock a pivotally mounted shaft about a horizontally disposed axis.

In the prior United States Letters Patent to Stauiter No. 2,240,679, there is discloseda passive-exercise machine which is the direct predecessorof the..present invention. Experience with that machine'has demonstrated the need of a device forfimparting a rocking motion to zonal areas of a human body which is capable of running long periods of time without breakdown or attention, whichis quiet running, foolproof, simpleand inexpensive to make and in which the direction of motion can be altered at will.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a passive exercise machine which fulfills the foregoing needs.

These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the annexed specification in which:

Figure l is a side viewof-apassive *exercise'machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a front View of the rocking member and supporting and driving mechanism removed from the machine.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Figure 5 with parts broken away for clarity of illustration.

Figure 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a section taken along the line 10-10 of Figure 11.

Figure 11 is a plan view taken along the line 11-11 of Figure 8. t

Figure 12 is a section taken along the line 12-12 of Figure 8.

Patented Nov. 18 1958 2 Figure 13 is a view taken valong the line 13- 13 of Figure 8.

Referring now more particularlyto'the drawings, there is shown what is known as a Staulfer Home Unit orapassive exercise machine designed particularly foruse in the home or office of auser. This unit comprises'threemain sections which may be denominated thehead section20, the applicator section 22 and.the foot .or leg section 24. The head section 20 is essentially a table .or cot comprising a tubular frame work, across which is stretched fabric 25. The'tubular framework comprises a tube 126 which is bent to form a side piece27, atransversely extending end 28, a second side .piece (not shown) parallel to piece 27 and a downwardly extending U-shaped end piece 29 fforminglegs and a'foot andiconnecting'thetwo side pieces. Rigidly affixed to the framework 26 .is a tubular U-shaped member 30 disposed at an acute angle to member 29and which serves as the endlegs and foot when the section 20 is elevated. Applicator section 22 also includes a tubular 'frame, and section 20 is removably attached thereto by a pair of spring clips"31 carried by end 28as shown 'in Figures 1, 2 and 3. "Section24 is a mirror image of section 20 and neednot'be further described.

Applicator section 22 is supported "on a tubular framework comprising two members 32 and 33 which are alike and each of which comprises a transversely extending top piece 34, apair of'downwardly extending pieces35 and 36 bent inwardly and upwardly as at 37 and "38.

bolting to atube 38.

One ofthe arms 51 supports anelectromoto'r 53 affixed thereto by bracket 54, which motor'turns an output shaft 55. Shaft 55 carriesa pulley 56. 'Anothenarm 51 has a leg-57 on whichis mounted a pulley assembly "58 '(see Figure 10).

Pulley assembly 58 includes-ahub -59=formed in leg 57 and a pair of plates 60 and 61. A shaft-62extends through holes in plates 60 and 61 and is threaded to receive a nut 63. As indicated in Figure 10, the shaft 62 may thereby be properly positioned in hub 59 to properly tension the associated belts.

A boss 64 on plate 61 bears against bearing retainer 65 which retains roller bearing 66 in the hub 67 of pulley 68. Pulley 68 is a double pulley having a small pulley 69 and a large pulley 70. A belt 71 connects pulleys 56 and 70. A belt 72 connects pulley 69 to a pulley 73.

Spider 50 has a central hub in which is mounted the sub-assembly shown inFigure 6. This sub-assembly includes a yoke 81 having a pair of arms 82 and 83 in which is journalled a shaft 84 supported in roller bearings 85 and 86 and secured by nut 87. The yoke 81 is bevelled as at 88 and includes a hub 89 which is threaded as at 90. Hub 80 is enlarged and bevelled as at 91 and a nylon bearing 92 is received between bevels 88 and 91. A nut 93 is threaded on thread of hub 89, and a nylon bearing 94 is received between nut 93 and hub 80.

A shaft 95 is journalled in hub 89 by roller bearings 96 and 97 and retained by nut 98. Shaft 95 carries pulley 73 retained thereon by retainer 99.

Set screws 100 and 101 lock nut 93 and retainer 99 in place. Shaft 95 at its upper end is provided with an eccentric pin 102. A nut 103 on the threaded end of pin 102 retains roller bearing 104 on pin 102.

Roller bearing 104 is retained in link 105 which constitutes one of the most important aspects of this invention. It is best shown in Figures 9 and 12 and comprises a metallic member 106 having two circular openings 107 and 108, the walls of which are outwardly tapered in axially opposed directions and in which are seated rubber compound fiexure members 109 and 110 which surround roller bearing 104 and a roller bearing 111.

A shaft 112 is journalled in roller bearing 111 and is non-rotatably held in horizontally extending part 113 of an arm 114 by nut 115 and set'screw 116. It will be noted that arm 114 extends at an angle from vertical which provides a convenient mechanical advantage. Arm 114 is affixed to shaft 84 by set screw 117.

Arm 114 is integral with hub 118 and an applicator support 119. This support comprises an upwardly extending portion 120 and a spider 121 comprising four radially extending arms 122 having ends receiving screws 123 which secure applicator pad 124 thereto.

Yoke 81 carries a stop 125 adapted to engage stops 126 and 127 on spider 50 as hereinafter described.

The operation of the above-described device is as follows: Assuming the machine to be assembled as in Figure 1 and power supplied to motor 53 through conduit 130 controlled by switch 131, motor 53 will rotate shaft 55 and pulley 56. This turning movement is reduced by the pulley system comprising pulleys 56 and 70 and belt 71, pulleys 69 and 73 and belt 72 and applied to shaft 95. Shaft 95 carries eccentric pin 102, the turning of which tends to move link 105 in a generally horizontal plane. However, shaft 112 carried by link 105 must rock with arm 114about shaft 84. This requires link 105 to move in a manner to permit its end carrying shaft 112 to rise and fall, which is achieved by reason of the flexing of flexure members 109 and 110, thus rocking applicator support 119 about a horizontal axis and rocking applicator 124 through a small arc.

It will be noted that yoke 81 is not locked in any fixed position, being free to turn on nylon bearings 92 and 94 between the limits established by stops 125, 126 and 127. As yoke 81 carries all of the mechanism beyond spider 50 and as shaft 95 is concentric with hub 80, yoke 81 may thus be rotated through any part of or all of 90 even while the machine is running. This permits the applicator 124 to be oriented to rock either longitudinally of the device or transversely, at will, which is desirable in establishing conditions for different passive exercises for a patient.

While there has been described what is considered a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention, and it is intended to cover herein all such changes and alterations as come within the true scope and spirit of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A passive exercise machine comprising: an electromotor having an output shaft; means coupling said output shaft to a vertically disposed drive shaft in speed reducing relation; an eccentric pin carried by said drive shaft; a generally horizontally disposed link having a bearing journalled to said pin and a second bearing; a generally vertically disposed pin journalled in said second bearing; said bearings each being retained in said link by flexible mountings whereby said link is arranged for a motion having both horizontal and vertical components; a horizontally disposed shaft; an'arm pivoted on said horizontally disposed shaft and carrying said generally vertically disposed pin; an applicator support aflixed to said arm and an applicator carried by said support whereby on rotation of said motor said applicator is oscillated about said horizontally disposed shaft through a small are from vertical.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said link has a pair of circular openings, each having walls tapered outwardly in axially opposed directions and a resilient mounting in each of such holes for flexibly mounting said bearings in said link.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 including a yoke; said horizontally disposed shaft being carried by said yoke; a bearing ring concentric with said drive shaft, said yoke being mounted on said bearing ring whereby said applicator may be rotated about a vertical axis at will.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 1 including a yoke; said horizontally disposed shaft being carried by said yoke; a bearing ring concentric with said drive shaft, said yoke being mounted on said bearing ring whereby said applicator may be rotated about a vertical axis at will; said link having a pair of circular openings, each having walls tapered outwardly in axially opposed directions and a resilient mounting in each of such holes for flexibly mounting said bearings in said link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,602,196 Iverson Oct. 5, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,257 Great Britain t May 19, 1947 

